Tanaka public announcement, “I want to be on WBC next year.”
Tanaka public announcement, “I want to be on WBC next year.”
The former national team ace will appear again? Masahiro Tanaka officially burned his will to play in the WBC (World Baseball Classic).
Tanaka, a pitcher for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, said on his SNS on the 18th, “I’ll tell you here because I didn’t have a chance to talk about my thoughts on next year’s WBC. I know there are many good players and it’s not easy, but I want to play (on the WBC),” he said adding, “I will concentrate on off-season training with my determination to play.”
It is quite unusual for a player to directly express his thoughts on participating in the national team through SNS. There is also a burden. However, Tanaka is a player who has always communicated closely with fans through personal SNS. Immediately after the end of the regular season, he thanked the season through SNS, and he also used SNS to express his willingness to play in WBC.
Tanaka, a veteran, has several national team experiences. He also played for the 2009 and 2013 WBC national teams following the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Tanaka, who later played in the major leagues for the New York Yankees, participated in the Tokyo Olympics and won the Olympic gold medal after returning to his former team Rakuten last year. 안전놀이터
However, there is a variable in selecting the WBC national team. It’s the latest pace. Tanaka’s individual performance was not good with 4 wins and 9 losses last year and 9 wins and 12 losses this year. Many say that he has passed his heyday. Many expected Tanaka to re-enter the Major League after playing for Rakuten for a year, but in reality, it is not easy. However, as a veteran pitcher with a lot of experience in the national team, he can play as many roles as he can. Can Tanaka succeed in his third WBC appearance?